WALLS, Andrew Nowell, AM (1912-1990)
Andrew Walls, local government administrator was born at Coleraine on 13 August 1912 to parents Andrew Walls and Lillian Eleanor nee O’Sullivan. After attending Hamilton High School he furthered his education at the Geelong College on a Stuart Murray scholarship then valued at £60. In his final year he was a student ‘librarian’ and won an Essay Prize. He was a boarder at the School for two years from 1927 to 1928
On 2 September 1939, he married Miss Hilda Margaret Thompson, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Ann (Love) Thompson, of East Brunswick, and they had a son on 17 February 1944. He later enlisted in the RAN on 27 April 1943, and served as a Sub-Lieutenant (Cypher. He was classed 'fit for shore service only' , and served at Basilisk (Port Moresby), Kuranda, Madang, Ping Wo, Wilcannia and Hollandia, on cipher duties in the New Guinea area. He was admitted to 115th AGH on 9 December 1943 suffering from nephritis, and was discharged from hospital on 24 May 1944. He was finally discharged from HMAS Lonsdale on 6 October 1945.
On his retirement in 1978, he was the foundation Director of the Australian Council of Local Government Associations and had been in June, 1977 the first local government official to be awarded membership in the Order of Australia for services to local government and municipal administration. He died at Canberra on 28 February, 1990.
Sources: Ad Astra September 1977; James Affleck. Geelong Collegians at the Second World War p531.